I always wish I had a gift for each and everyone of you! I do, and I wish I had the hours in a day to visit each of my followers even once a week! I am close to 1300 now, so you can see my frustration! I want to, there just isn't time. So, I have giveaways often to help make up for that.

I appreciate each and everyone of you, taking a few moments of your day to stop in and say hello. Thank you so very much! I wish you all the very best of experiences in 2012!

Thursday, December 29, 2011

I love the colors of her card as well as all the layers she has created. It is a very pretty card!

I love the tea time theme. There is even a little square of cross stitch!

Inside is this blue post card tag with a lovely message on the back!

Thank you so much Marjanne for your very sweet card!

Here is the cute ATC that Kimberly over at ArtJoyStuff....made for me in her Holiday ATC swap! She sent it in a sewn sleeve along with this adorable little wreath ornament.

Thank you so much Kimberly!

A sweet fellow artist and particpant in my Altered Domino Book class, Carolyn, sent me this surprise gift!

A pretty card, amazing rosette and butterfly as well as a cup of tea!

But a cup of tea with a twist....it is a candle! There is a spoon in it and it is the color of tea, but it is a candle!

How sweet is that! Thank you so very much Carolyn!

Now about my Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza! (giggle).

There is still time to enter to win by leaving a comment on the post of that prize that you would like to win. You can enter to win all of them if you like. Just be a follower and leave a comment and a way to reach you.

Monday, December 19, 2011

This week I am sharing one of my favorite cheery patterns for Christmas time.

It was the berries that first caught my eye.

I think if I had to pick a word for Christmas it would be" cheer"....

To cheer (an action) means to make a cry or shout of enthusiasms....

Tobe of Good Cheer means to be full of gladness........
(isn't cream and red a "cheery" colorway?)

Joy-fullness and gaiety!

My Christmas wish for you all is to be of good cheer.

to be full of joy, gladness and gaiety!

As they say....
Tis the season to be Jolly...

(fa la laaaa...lalalaaaaa...la. la. laaaaa!)

(A "Thank You" to Mayfair of Wedgewood for assisting me in this post)

And soooooooo.....

My next giveaway prize for myHoliday Giveaway Extravaganza!

How would you like to receive this lovely little tea cup in your mail????

She is a very sweet Royal Albert cup and saucer with all kinds of gorgeous details.

If you would like to enter to win this set, just be a follower and leave a comment to this post saying you would like to enter. Also, please leave a way to reach you.
I wish I had a cup for each and every one of you!

There are two more prizes in my Holiday Extravaganza Giveaway....

This wonderful Vintage Illustrations CD from Crafty Secrets!
Click HERE to go to the post that contains this prize and leave a comment to win!

And....

These French style earrings created by moi.
Click HERE to go to the post that contains this prize so you can leave a comment to win.

You can enter to win all or none of the prizes I am offering. I just really want to say "Thank You" to each of you for you kindness and friendship.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Welcome to Deck The Halls Sunday
where we take a moment to share our holiday
decorating and gifting crafts.
I have been working on creating more Jane
ornaments and have been having so much fun.
I wish I had time to photograph each one and
show everything,
but I will just have to share what I can.

I created this ornament by using two glass prisms.

You could use two glass slides as well.

I used this stamped image of Jane that I purchased in the gift shop

at Jane's home in Chawton, England.

But you could also google, "cameo of Jane Austen" and

there should be one or two to choose from.

The loop at the top has short tails secured between the two
pieces of glass, and the tail of the bead dangle
is also tucked between the images and glass.
The bow is added last.

The glass is held together around the edges with
silver stickles. Which is a glitter glue product.
I used just enough around the edge to seal it,
not enough to seep in onto the images.

I adhered the bow with a little Diamond Glaze.
(which I also used to adhere the snowy glitter).
You can try white glue, just water down about
15% and see if it doesn't show through too much.
Maybe try a test spot first.

I chose a statement from Jane about the holidays
to put on the back.
Then I sugared the sides and it sparkles nicely!

Here is a miniature paper version of a townhome
that looks like the one Jane lived in
for a few years with her family.

You can still walk by the home they rented in Bath
It is down the street from the Jane Austen center
and is now a dental surgery.

I bought this paper kit for it from the
gift shop at Jane's house in Chawton.
I have searched the internet and
not found any recently.

(this is how it looked, but no manufacturer's
name anywhere)

The kit house was much larger, so I
reduced the size and reprinted.
I sugared it up as well as put some stickles on the windows
and doors for wreath and boughs.

Next up was wrapping paper!
I decided to print out some of Jane's writings in the "Jane Austen" font
(which I downloaded from a free font site online)
and printed it out on paper to wrap gifts with.

I used the cameo stamp again from the gift shop to do the tags.
You can see beneath the gifts the ruffled tree skirt I made out of batten.
I do love the soft look of it.
If you can not find this stamp anymore,
you can use a cameo image of Jane from online images.
Search Jane Austen cameo images.

I tucked a small white quill under the ribbon on this gift...since Jane wrote with a quill
(though as fluffy as this one, lol)
I thought it might be a nice touch.

Here I am in Jane's dining room, and there in front of me is the table she wrote at and a quill.
I get goosebumps just seeing this image again! I am a silly goose!

Next Sunday....Christmas!...I will show off the entire tree!

Now below is my next giveaway prize in myHoliday Giveaway Extravaganza!
Yay!

A pair of French inspired earrings!

If you would like to enter to win, just be a follower and leave a comment saying you would like to enter, just so I know. Not everyone wears earrings or likes "French" styled items.

If you would like to enter to win my other prize...a Vintage Illustrations CD from Crafty Secrets, just click on here, and you will be taken to that post.

I love to host giveaways.... it is just a small way I can give back to you all for your kindness and encouragement in my creative life. I appreciate all your visits and comments. I also love to pop over and see what you are up to as well. Thank you so much for your friendship!

If you would like to join in Deck The Halls Sunday (this is our last one for this year) then just share something you have made or decorated for the holidays, and link up below with Linky Tools.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Today I am sharing a new cup that truly delights me!
I think I might have swooned when I saw it sitting on the shelf at the antique shop.
It isn't the normal Christmas cup. But to me, it's coloring and design says "Winter"!

This blue is my all time favorite color.
And the photo does capture it true.
It is a wintry blue, and along with the white, it really suits the season.

The flowers inside and outside the cup speak of summer,
but the rest of the cup
with it's golden swirls and dots look like winter winds and snow.

This cup has such an elegant handle, and it is very comfortable to hold.
I have some cups that I love the look of, but the handle is tricky.

I feel very fortunate to have found this cup, this color, this style and design.

Believe it or not, I found several more the same week,

and I am excited to share them with you soon.

The coloring in this photo is just a bit too blue,
but you can see the gorgeous pattern on the plate.
Have you already guessed the maker?

Paragon!
This is my favorite company!
I have shared about it many times in the past.
It opened in 1919 and it continued until 1960, when it went through ownership changes and now is a part of Royal Doulton. Wikipedia has a good article on this company, it is so convoluted!
It was originally part of the Star China Company, a well known organization begun by an Anysley (the same as the china company). It does seem like many china companies were bought up or merged with many of the same larger companies. So it gets quite confusing.

Thank you all so much for stopping by today!
I know we are all really busy preparing for the holiday.
If you would like to join in, just create a post about your tea cup, then come back here and link up your post below. Martha and I are really enjoying visiting all of you each week!

I have just begun a newHoliday Giveaway Extravaganza!
Go HERE to post a comment to enter.

You need only be a follower to enter. Make sure you leave a way to reach you.
And remember, I have some great free videos on my side bar for holiday banners, and how to bleach and dye bottle brush trees for your holiday decorations.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

I have been enjoying creating my Jane Austen tree.
The ornaments are coming along.
Some are simple, and some are more work, but all fun!
This week I have made three more styles.
Here are two of them...

Jane's cup!
When I was visiting her home in Chawton, England,
I was lucky enough to get a picture of one of the tea cups from their family's dining room.

I used the image to create this cup ornament

I created this page to cut out,
the dark edges helps to see
where to cut.
You can try to right click on it
and save.

By printing out a picture of it.
I used some Stickles to glitter it up.
It is lovely and glittery!

I backed the paper cup with some
writing from a letter of Jane's.
Then just added a little ribbon.

This is the image I used to
print off some paper for the backing.

I did think of adorning it with some holly,
or a Christmas rose and some lace,
but I really did not want to obscure what the Austen's china looked like.

Here is an ornament showing Jane's childhood home at the Steventon Parsonage.

I really enjoyed making this one.

I used a rectangular piece of cardstock about 3x5
and glittered the outer 1'' of edge.
Then I printed out the image and
used pinking shears to edge sides.
Then glued it to the cardstock
Then I glued on some lace,
a paper snowflake,
paper boughs,
button....

Here are two sizes you can try to
right click and save image...

The top one is the tinted one,
I altered in Photoshop.
The one below is the larger file,
and it has not been altered.

There are many images on the internet
of Jane's homes.
(I confess I do not know if these
images are royalty free or not.
This is something I must figure out.)

Two hole punches to the outer corners
allows ribbon to be threade though
for a nice loop to hang by.

Many of you may be wondering why I would do a Jane tree...
It is because of the joy I have received reading her work,

looking at society and life through her eyes,
that motivated me to honor her with this tree.

She is/was such an amazing story teller!
As I am someone who loves to write stories,
I am so very impressed with her writings and
her bravery for a woman of her time.

She is one of my mentors.

I am really enjoying coming and seeing your holiday craetions!
Thank you everyone who has joined in each week
If you would like to share in Deck The Halls Sunday,
just link up below to your post about something
you have created either for decoration or gifting.

Don't forget to check out all the free videos on my right side bar.
Also, my Altered Domino Book class is going beautifully.
The books participants are making are awesome!
This class would be a fabulous gift to a family member,
friend or even yourself!